Most Texans see restoring the state's wetlands, dunes and barrier islands as a critical issue, a new survey shows.

The America's WETLAND Foundation poll found that 77 percent of Texas voters are concerned about the loss of critical habitat, and the vast majority of them tie a healthy coast to a strong economy.

"These findings are a gift for the state's political leadership, and they are a gift that will keep on giving as long as people keep talking about the issue," said Val Marmillion, the foundation's managing director.

The survey comes as the five Gulf states and the federal government are considering how to restore the region's ecological health following the massive 2010 oil spill.

The poll of 489 randomly selected Texans was conducted between Dec. 22 and Jan. 3 and has a margin of error of 4.4 percentage points.